Never before in the history of Olympic Winter Games has Canada earned a medal in men’s cross-country skiing. Canadian women have earned three medals. Beckie Scott of Vegreville, Alberta won the gold medal in the women’s 10km pursuit at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City and then teamed up with Sara Renner of Golden, British Columbia to win silver in the team sprint at the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Turin. One of the most shocking surprises in the history of the Olympic Winter Games for Canada came at those same 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Turin when Chanda Crawford of Canmore, Alberta, who had never before won a World Cup race, won the gold medal in the women’s 1.1-kilometre sprint.

2018 Olympic Cross-Country Skiing Preview

At the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang, it could be very memorable for Alex Harvey of Saint-Ferreol-Les-Neiges, Quebec. Harvey is the reigning gold medalist in the men’s 50km freestyle mass start competition from the 2017 World Ski Championships in Lahti, Finland. Harvey also won by six tenths of a second over Sergey Ustiugov of Russia. Harvey will not have to worry about Ustiugov challenging him for a podium spot at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang as he is one of the 32 Russians banned for their involvement in the doping scandal at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi.

Harvey is also a medal contender in the men’s 15km classical competition. Three times last season he reached the podium in men’s cross country skiing World Cup events. Harvey won a gold medal in the men’s 15 kilometre freestyle event in Ulricehamn, Sweden on January 21, 2017, a bronze medal in the men’s 15 kilometre freestyle pursuit in Oberstdorf, Germany on January 4, 2017 (part of the one week Tour de Ski competition) and a gold medal in the men’s freestyle sprint at the 2017 World Cup Finals in Quebec City on St. Patrick’s Day.

In 2017-18, Harvey finished third in the Tour de Ski behind Dario Cologna of Switzerland and Martin Johnsrud Sundby of Norway. Harvey also won a silver medal in a World Cup event in a men’s 15-kilometre freestyle mass start competition in Seefeld, Austria on January 28 and a bronze medal in a men’s 15-kilometre classical mass start competition in Val Di Fiemme, Italy on January 6. Harvey’s silver medal in Austria was significant because it was the last World Cup event before the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang.

Norway’s Sport

Norway has the potential to dominate cross-country skiing at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang. If they reach 17 medals, which is very capable, it could go a long way for them in winning the overall Olympic medal standings. The elite Norwegian cross-country skiers are Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, Martin Johnsrud Sundby and Emil Iversen on the men’s side and Maiken Kaspersen Falla, Heidi Weng and Marit Bjoergen on the women’s side. At 37 years of age, Bjoergen is still performing at a high level. She is a six-time Olympic gold medalist and should be the favourite to win the women’s 30km freestyle.